“We’re now going forward rapidly to finish all of the technical design work for the construction to begin this summer in anticipation of our move to the building in winter 2015.”

The IBC concluded in 2007 that its offices and production facilities on Mivvik Street were “not only inadequate, but hazardous,” the corporation’s website said.

Poor construction called for a completely new building. The corporation first drafted plans for it in 2009, and launched a fundraising campaign to cover its $8.3 million cost.

IBC has raised more than $5 million have been covered so far. A remaining $3 million remain to cover costs of “furniture, current industry-standard media equipment, training and other related costs,” the IBC news release said.

The media arts centre will house more than 745 square metres of studios for TV production, with capacity for live studio audiences, offices, and IBC’s Inuit film and video archive.

The corporation now produces five TV series for the Aboriginal Peoples’ Television Network at its studios in Iqaluit, Brisebois said.

The corporation’s next step is to raise the remaining funds, and complete a five-year strategic plan, d’Argencourt said.

Nunavummiut will get a chance to call in and share their ideas for the plan March 11 on IBC’s live phone-in show Qanuq Isumavit?

IBC teamed up with three Inuit-owned firms to design and build the media arts centre, including NCC Properties Ltd., Atuqtuarvik Corp., and Qikiqtaaluk Corp. – which is managing the development of the Inuit-owned lands around the building.

The four partners will finance, own, operate and maintain the building through a company called Sanavallianiq Corp.